B3 Chapter 388: A Cycle; an End, Pt. 1

Kaius woke to a sharp crack, his eyes snapping open. He sat up with a start, blinking away the blur of sleep as he searched for a threat.

Instead, he found Xenanra hovering over them with a grin on her face. It was hard to tell who she was looking at, her pure white, six-pupiled eyes watching them all equally.

Kaius sighed, relaxing as soon as he registered that they weren’t in danger. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he threw his cloak off and stored it inside of his ring.

Last night had been good. Healing. They’d sat and eaten and drunk together, whittled away the hours with jokes and idle conversation, but also with stories — details and moments they’d passed over earlier.

They’d also managed to plan ahead. They would be staying in the Depths — for a month at least, but no more than two — as they pushed as hard as they could for more Honours. The specifics would depend on how long they had truly spent in the Crucible.

There was a litany of them to attempt — the next steps for Hordebreaker and Ruthless Underdog; the long distance and multi-kill Honours that Kenva had gotten, Deadeye and Massacre; even variations on what he and Porkchop had done as unclassed with Birds of a Bloodsoaked Feather and Born for Slaughter. All seemed probable, though there was a good chance that it would be difficult for them to delve deep enough for the next tier of Ruthless Underdog, and it was admittedly a big ask for Kenva and Ianmus to slay Champions solo for Born for Slaughter.

Not quite impossible, but definitely difficult — it would be almost entirely reliant on finding good enough match ups. Hells, the tough but slow turtle Champion from the Godsmaw was a decent example of something well suited — the fight would be slow, but with their speed he’d be confident in his backline keeping themselves safe.

As a group, they’d also had plenty of ideas for other things they could try to attempt in that time frame. Completing a layer as quickly as they could; expenditure of large volumes of a resource in a short enough timeframe, Ianmus also wanted to try exploring his dual casting to see if he could find any related Honours.

There was more to discuss: potential level ranges, and methods to approach each one — but the night had eventually grown long as unfamiliar stars rose over the meadow. Sleeping out in the open had been…nice. They’d had a tent, of course, but with the temperature so warm there hadn’t been a point.

“Come on, you lot. It’s time we get moving, your final trial awaits,” Xenanra said, ushering them to their feet.

Kaius hurried to do as she requested — scurrying around with his team as they packed away what supplies they had with them.

They set off across the meadow toward one of the far walls of dense growth that surrounded it, a quick pace required to match Xenanra’s speed.

The heading seemed chosen at random — though, no doubt, the Ascendant had a destination in mind. It wasn’t obvious. There was nothing that jumped out to Kaius, just endless brush that surrounded the open field on all sides.

Just beside him, Porkchop’s ears flicked back and forth as he stared at Xenanra’s back.

“Can you tell us where we’re heading, or more about what we’re supposed to do?” Porkchop asked.

The Ascendant merely turned back and gave him a grin.

“Do you expect a lady to kiss and tell? You’ll learn more when we arrive.”

After that, the rest of their walk passed silently.

As they reached the edge of the clearing, Kaius half expected they’d have to bushwhack to follow her, so dense was the surrounding growth. The thought was worrying: with the simple resistance of the grass brushing against his feet — the toughness of each fiber — would he even be able to cut through the thick branches? A Father’s Gift was the sharpest it had ever been, but there was something strange about this place.

Yet, without so much as a twitch or an utterance on the part of their guide, trees twisted of their own volition, reshaping their growth to curve around Xenanra’s very approach. They arced upward and over them, forming a natural tunnel of green and brown. It was like they were walking under the ribs of some serpentine nature spirit, sunlight seeping through the cracks to drench them in hues of gold.

An hour later, Kaius got his first glimpse of their destination.

Nestled deep within the overgrown bramble, visible through a narrow opening ahead, there was a temple of ancient stone that was being eaten alive by a carpet of vines. Writhing like snakes, the living tendrils were retracting — revealing the details hidden beneath.

Each column and wall was carved from a single continuous piece of stone, lovingly engraved with motifs of vines, flowers, and shoots. While the walls on either side were solid, what faced them was open, as was the far end of the building behind. Tall and conical; layered and spiked like it was covered in the thorns of a rose bush, the roof stood strong — despite the weight of its years.

Its age was obvious. It was old. Very, very old.

Even with its viney blanket having retreated, green covered every surface, the stone was stained and weathered, and the engravings worn down by wind, rain, and time — until, even with his Truesight, Kaius could only barely make out the faintest impressions on the most worn sections.

Yet its internals looked cared for. Not new, but certainly not ancient. Like they were regularly used and lovingly looked after. A ritual site of some kind.

No matter their clear purpose, the floors were polished, and in the center of the temple stood a great sconce — chest-high, tipped with a wide bowl. It was full of glowing coals, individual tongues of flame flickering in the half-light.

Thick rugs surrounded the fire, piled high with plush cushions in purple, pink, and golden velvet. The colors were saturated, and the cushions creased and well-used — but unfaded.

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Xenanra ushered them in, the atmosphere heavy with purpose — almost sparking against his skin.

“Sit, sit,” she insisted, gesturing to the cushioned rug that surrounded the sconce.

Kaius shared a long glance with his team, but sat all the same.

Xenanra lowered herself as well — though, as was customary at this point, she floated just high enough to remain a head taller than the rest of them. It made it easy to forget that she would barely come up to his waist if she stood on solid ground.

The Ascendant rolled her eyes at him, and Kaius paled — snapping down on his thoughts like a trap. The peril of her being able to read minds. He meant no offense, but it was still disrespectful.

Xenanra scoffed in amusement, before she looked at each of them in turn.

“First, let me congratulate you for your successes,” Xenanra said, voice calm and clear. “It is no easy feat to embody all three aspects in the Crucible. Many attempt it, but few succeed fully on their first go.”

“As for the darker experience you only somewhat remember? Know that I apologize — and know that it was necessary. You’ll carry the certainty of your choice with you, and, fates forbid, if you ever encounter a situation where you need to remember it? You will.”